1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to orthopedics and spinal surgery, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for securing surgical cable around bone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many ways and means have been developed for securing bone in place and for securing devices to bone. While single filament wires were used for many years in various types of surgical procedures, multi-filament cables have been used increasingly in recent years, particularly where strength and long-term reliability in a comparatively inaccessible site, are important. One example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,110 issued Dec. 26, 1989 to Galline et al. In that example, an anchoring plate 11 has four bores therein receiving two crimping tubes and two crimping rings for holding multi-ply cables to secure a trochanter major to the femur. Another example of use of multi-filament cables is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,116,340 and 4,966,600 to Songer et al. The latter patent uses a loop 38 and a flanged tube crimp member 28 as in FIG. 1, or a stop member 94, bar 96 and a crimp member having a front flange 60 as in FIG. 6, to secure the cable. Because of the need to minimize space requirements for cabling, crimp members of the type shown in the Songer patents are small. As a result, they are difficult to handle, cannot be manipulated well with surgical gloves, and can be dropped easily. It is desirable to provide a system whereby a separate loose crimp is not needed, the crimp is reliably secured and securable to the cable, does not require tight bends or small loops in the cable, and which does not require cable-to-cable contact stress as in the cable passing through the small loop 38 in the FIG. 1 embodiment of the Songer patents.